Time out mechanic confusion

[ChuckElias]

Originally posted by DownTownTonyBrown
Mr. Elias. . .

Somebody's looking for trouble!!

I'm not sure how I should react to being called a "resolute" veteran , but I'll comment on a couple of your points, Tony.

1) this is where the ball is coming in. One of the officials should "take the ball where it is to be put in play, face the table and indicate the direction of play by placing the ball either in front or behind the body or one either side..."

This is the one and only thing that I think is actually good in the Fed mechanic. Having an official indicate spot and direction simply by standing there is, I think, a very intelligent thing. However, there are a couple things that make it non-essential.

First, it can't be used if the ball is to be inbounded on the table-side sideline. You can't stand at the spot or you are in the team's huddle or on their bench. Not a huge deal, I know, b/c you just stand 15 feet onto the floor. Nevertheless, it's not practical for the bench sideline.

Second, how many times have you been standing at the correct spot with the ball on the correct hip and had a coach turn around and ask you, "Where's the ball coming in?" Most of the coaches have no idea of the reason you're standing there, so the only people we're communicating with are ourselves and our partners. Now, that's not an entirely bad idea in itself, I realize. Sometimes we brain-cramp, and it's good to have a reminder. But on the whole, the mechanic isn't all that critical, in my view.

when you now indicate the location from 30 feet away, the coach really has no exact information. . .

which official should the substitues report to? Of which official does the table ask clarification questions?

These are non-issues to me, honestly. The subs report to the scorer/timer, not us. And the scorer can get anybody's attention relatively easily. The coach doesn't need an exact position. They usually just want to know endline/sideline, which side of basket on endline, frontcourt/backcourt.

Additionally, as I said earlier, if you're in the last minute of a tight game and there's a TO, all those mechanics go right out the window. Screw 'em, and go talk to your partner(s).

Having said all that, let me just reiterate* that in my HS games, I use Fed mechanics even for time-outs (unless there are cheerleaders using the middle of the floor).

Where those two lines of sight intersect is very close to the 3-point line. This is where I stand.

Personally, if I'm on the 3-point line, I'm too close to the shooter. I don't want to be a distraction, even peripherally. So I stand back near the sidline and one step, maybe two, behind the shooter.

I also don't need to see the whole FT line, b/c I don't really care if his big toe comes to rest on the line. I (mostly) only care if he runs to the hoop to try and rebound, and I don't have to be on the FT line extended to see that.

As far as rebounding position, when the ball is released I take one large step toward the basket (as I do on any try). This puts me right at the FT line extended and gives me great position for weak side rebounding as well as possible GT or BI.
So how you like me now, dog?

Chuck

*P.S. -- if "reiterate" means to repeat, what does "iterate" mean? Look it up, I was surprised.